Friday, July 31, 2015

My denim choice of the summer has officially been found and I am not taking it off. The new Alexa Chung collection for AG Jeans is mind blowing. I slipped into The collection's Sabine style and knew instantly that I had found a winner. My very first blog post EVER way back during my last year in college was actually about Alexa Chung as a style inspiration (before she was all over the fashion magazines). I wish I still had that post up just so you guys could see! Today, my jeans are designed by her. One of my favorite style icons for years and one of my favorite denim brands . . . can't get much better and smarter than that combination at all. Impeccable rise (right below my belly button), the perfect cropped length, and just the right amount of stretch that my bum feels and looks like its having the raddest day ever. Check, check and check.

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

___Long lost images from my Fourth of July weekend in Montauk. Montauk Point Lighthouse is one of my favorite places in all of Long Island. The sea here has so much richness and texture and tonal ambiguities to it. Each rock and pebble tells a unique story. Together, layered upon each other, their stories weave in and out like something out of a dream. I can't take my eyes off of any of it. The way the water looks and feels here is so romantic to me. Both calm and eager. Held back yet bursting at the seams at the same time. It reminds me so much of one of my favorite Cat Power songs. If you follow me on Twitter (or Spotify), you'll know how much of a Cat Power fan I am. When I get nostalgic, Cat Power is the first thing I turn on to match the melody of my mood. I have recently made a point to start practicing this one song on my dusty acoustic guitar that I am actually quite lousy at playing, just so I can strum and sing it for the boy that I will truly fall in love with someday.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." - Denis Waitley

I found this quote online somewhere, and it really stuck with me. It's quite fitting since I'm always thinking about happiness and the amount of times it fluctuates in my life. Throughout the month. Throughout the week. Throughout the day. I have come to realize that just because one can feel a whole lot of other emotions that are a far cry from anything remotely close to being called happy, that doesn't mean that the pursuit of happiness has to be put on the back burner. Society has molded us into a type of people that far too easily allows the negative in our lives to overwhelm and hinder our overall wellbeing. The news. Expectations from our parents and our career goals. We allow stress and anxiety to conquer us in a swift second. Our jobs. Our rent. Our commutes. Our relationships that have gone sour. New relationships that make us walk on eggshells. Just choosing a damn place for dinner. Yes, all these things get the best of me sometimes, but not as often as they used to. And it wasn't a mindset that changed overnight. It was actually something I worked towards. I worked to regularly remind myself to stay conscious of my feelings, and I forced myself to keep tabs on the positive side of things for a change instead. Slowly over time, it got easier to see things on the brighter side. And I always try to remind my friends and family the same thing. I want to enjoy and experience the best parts of the people in my life, as I hope they are able to enjoy and experience the best parts of me. It just makes sense. But it isn't always an easy task. So now allow me to make some lists.Things that make me unhappy:Crowded subwaysUnkind actionsHurtful wordsChildren cryingShoes that make my feet hurtHorrible bossesStray animalsPovertyDouchebag guysSingle-minded peoplePeople who never smile
War and deathUngratefulnessPaper cutsLoneliness DistrustLow self-confidenceThings that make my happy:My family and friendsPizzaA really spectacular hamburgerCoffeeThe Manhattan skylineBrooklynLive musicDance parties on rooftopsSkype sessions with Mom and DadPeach nail polishRespectChoker necklacesCheap Chinatown massagesPuppiesBelgian beerColorful flowersTravelingPictures of CubaSheer cotton peasant blousesMusic FestivalsBike ridingThe feeling of sand beneath my feetNow that I look back on this list, I can see that a lot of these things on the lists are tangible and material. This quote is a reminder that despite the things we literally have in our hands (or don't), it can never measure up to the experiences that are impressionable on us for far longer than a quick moment, or a trip to the shopping mall for that matter. I have a place to live. I have pretty clothes to put on my body. I have money to fill my belly with wonderful things. I have access to a lot of THINGS. Which is nice, but it's not what is the source of my happiness and inspirations. Especially since I didn't always have some of these things. The true source of happiness I have come to find, comes from the people who have made an impression on my soul and life decisions. The people I love unconditionally and have gotten to know personally. Who have gone through the ups and downs with me, and have reflected on them with me. Those who I will be paving my future with and looking back on where we came from with fond feelings of both heartache and joy. Those who have joined me on travels to wonderful places and have made memories to laugh and cry about forever and ever. Those who make me want to smile more, follow my heart, do better and go above and beyond the ordinary. When something has me feeling down, irritated, annoyed, unhappy, nervous, lacking in confidence, bored, like I'm missing out or just completely off balance, I just think of these people and these experiences and the feeling of love that I get from them on a daily basis, and everything else fades. Even on my shittiest days full of long subway rides and obnoxious people and heavy air. Only the good remains, and the good is what keeps me going. The literal things don't matter. It's spiritual connections and the gratefulness for the strength if these connections. I hope these are the types of good things that keep you going, too. In the words of my favorite girl band, First Aid Kit, "And it's one life, and it's this life, and it's beautiful."

Monday, July 27, 2015

One recent day spent in Astoria, Queens was enough for me to want to venture back to explore even more sometime very, very soon. My sister and I came to do some work in a music studio (yes, we have some fun musical things in the works) and we got some time to walk around before and after our session. I was so hungry (don't ever leave a sister hungry) and went on the hunt for something to stop the stomach pangs. I found myself in a random deli across the street and got one of the best deli sandwiches I've ever had in all of NYC. And the man who assembled my sandwich was awesome and totally loved me so much that he gave me extra bacon. Extra bacon people! He asked where we were from because he's never seen us in the deli before and he hoped we would come back again soon for his sandwiches "made from love." :) Will do sir! I still can't believe that this has only been my second trip to Astoria EVER. I picked up some fruits from this colorful supermarket before heading back into Manhattan; souvenirs from our trip to a borough that will remind us of the friendly faces we had the pleasure of encountering throughout our day. A day spread out so simply yet so full of life. And one that was quite delicious, as well.

Friday, July 24, 2015

___For someone from California and in love with summer, I definitely don't spend as much time by the beach as I should. I mean, I do live in NYC, and getting to a local beach is already kind of a trip if you don't have a car. But whenever I do get by the water, I make the most of my day. If I could live my perfect dream life, I'd be in a bikini every single day, running my own business out of Bali and eating breakfast of fresh fruits and nuts on a balcony overlooking my own private beach. But like I said, that's a dream life. The reality is a once a month (maybe two) weekend trip to Montauk. Sundays in Montauk are the best, because it's when everyone is leaving and I get to stay to roam a little longer with the desolate sands and waves. Always foggier in this part of Long Island, the beaches feel more beautifully melancholic. As if they were sad and missing the color of the people who took up their space just a few hours earlier. But so happy in anticipation of the upcoming weekend when it will have company and a buzzing feeling once again. And the cycle continues. As for me, I get to enjoy the artful and delicate sways of its melancholic in-between state. So much more space. So much more air. So much more free sea. Running around without the extra pairs of curious eyes staring at me jumping around in my bikini. Just me and a friend and the sand beneath our feet. No judgment. I could spin and get dizzy and fall on that lonely sand forever.

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Say hello to a new set of disposable camera photos from the past few months. This past year has been one of the best years yet, because I've gotten to know NYC so much more. Not just the city itself, but the amazing people who live in it who I've had the chance to call my friends. I've been having so much fun actually, that I haven't been that good at remembering to bust out my disposable camera as often as I should, let alone throw it into my bag before heading out the door. I'm going to be a whole lot better about that starting RIGHT NOW. Disposable camera photos are my absolutely favorite. They are so quick and easy and don't need too much contemplation. The candidness of a disposable is what makes it so special. Disposable pictures are never too heavily thought about. They are usually taken with little to no preparation. They are spur of the moment. Spontaneous. Taken on a whim. The idea behind disposable cameras is exactly how we should be living life more often actually, if you really think about it. You get only one chance and you just go for it. It's like jumping into something for the first time. You know it's not going to come out perfect, but perfect isn't real life anyways. The best way to live life is to appreciate things, people and experiences for the way they are naturally. Free and sometimes sporadic. Unexpected and delightfully flawed. Noticeably imperfect that you hardly even notice at all. Out of place just enough that it seems exactly right. The way things are meant to be are the ways that are most beautiful.

Meet Dylana Suarez

EMAIL: dylanainwonderland@gmail.com

My name is Dylana Suarez. My friends call me Dy. I'm a creative consultant, writer, stylist, self-taught photographer and style blogger. I've worked in so many different aspects in the fashion industry so far, from freelance journalist to creative copywriter to e-comm stylist to social media manager. This blog has followed me along the entire way. Now I do it all via DYLANA/SUAREZ. Born and raised in sunny Southern California but currently based out of NYC (since May 2013) after a two year layover in Philadelphia. Fashion is what makes me wake up in the morning. Writing clears my head and mends my heart. Stories help me sleep at night. I see the world through my camera lens. This is my little online fashion diary, and I hope you enjoy reading it and coming along for the ride.